Struggling with anxiety, depression, or any other mental health problems is painful — and common — especially as the COVID-19 pandemic enters its third year. Worry and stress over the coronavirus and its many still-emerging variants, social isolation, and job loss have contributed to marked increases in anxiety, depression, sleep trouble, eating disorders, alcohol consumption, and substance use. Although tackling such troubles can seem tough, not addressing them increases the chances that they’ll worsen.

Fortunately, Fairfield County has many mental health resources for people of all ages, backgrounds, and identities. Here are 10 helpful resources to be aware of:

Psychiatrists in Fairfield County, CT

The following mental health resources available in Fairfield County, CT have psychiatrists available on staff. Psychiatrists are medical practitioners that specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness. Explore these resources below:

Community Health Center, Inc. offers behavioral health for children, adults, families, and groups in a confidential, compassionate, and culturally sensitive environment. Psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, drug and alcohol counselors, psychiatrists, and psychiatric nurses provide trauma-informed therapy and counseling for addiction, stress management, family/life changes, depression, disordered eating, chronic diseases, anxiety, as well as community-based care to families at risk of abuse and neglect.

Catholic Charities of Fairfield County provides trauma-sensitive and culturally-competent skill building and life skill services to adults with psychiatric disabilities. Staffed by licensed social workers, professional counselors, marriage/family therapists and a psychiatric medical director, the program provides counseling, support, education, and advocacy to children, adolescents, adults, seniors, and families. Services include social integration, clinical connections, medical treatment, substance abuse treatment, employment support, education and rehabilitation services, and assistance in securing housing, disability, and other social service benefits.

Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut, Inc. provides treatment, education, and community support for children and teens — and their families – who experience mental health challenges that interfere with everyday life. Staff psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and clinicians provide individual psychotherapy, group therapy, and cognitive behavioral therapy for children, adolescents and young adults who have experienced trauma or other serious emotional disturbance, commonly as a result of severe physical abuse and neglect, sexual abuse, domestic minor sex trafficking, or witnessing violence. Their nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center integrates criminal justice and protective service investigations with comprehensive mental health, medical, and victim advocacy services.

Franklin S. DuBois Center provides ongoing, individualized treatment to people with severe behavioral health disorders, regardless of insurance status. Services include intensive community support for people with severe psychiatric illness, a history of hospitalizations, and repeated difficulty with less intensive care; community support services for people with an ongoing need for mental health and substance abuse services; and, office-based services for individuals with minimal need for community-based interventions, such as medication evaluation and management, individual and group therapy, and case management. The center also has a clinic for individuals who live independently, need minimal support, or lack medical insurance or legal documentation. Its staff is specially trained to evaluate individuals with behavioral health issues who have been arrested and might receive appropriate mental health services in lieu of incarceration.

Substance use resources in Fairfield County, Connecticut

The following resources work to help those struggling with substance abuse issues in the Fairfield County area.  They also help support a wide range of people. 

Aware Recovery Care provides in-home mental health and substance use disorder treatment, integrating compassionate medical and behavioral care to promote lasting recovery from addiction. Specially trained professionals provide a full continuum of home-based care, including withdrawal management (in-home detox), medication-assisted treatment, and management, individual therapy, family therapy, and coordinated medical and behavioral health care.

Liberation Programs treats all types of substance use disorders involving alcohol, opiates, depressants, and stimulants. Services for adults, youth, and families include two inpatient treatment programs; outpatient and intensive outpatient services; health education for older adults and people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic illnesses; treatment and resources for adolescents and their families; community-based education and prevention efforts; mobile harm reduction services; and, permanent supportive housing for families.

Family and Children’s Agency, Inc. provides couples/family therapy, individual psychotherapy, and dialectical behavior therapy for adults, young adults, and seniors age 65 and older. The agency also treats individuals with co-occurring mental and substance use disorders, and children/adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. Other services include family psychoeducation, housing, and supported housing.

The Hub: Regional Behavioral Health Action Organization (RBHAO) supports and coordinates behavioral health initiatives (mental health, suicide prevention, substance misuse, and problem gambling) efforts throughout Southwestern Connecticut.

LGBTQ+ mental health resources and sexual violence support in Connecticut

Triangle Community Center provides programming and resources to nurture growth and connection within the LGBTQ community. TCC offers more than two dozen free groups that meet weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly, including peer support, recovery, older adult daytime programming, crafts, sober social events, and youth groups. Its team of highly trained client advocates assists community members with social service navigation, food, drop-in services, document updates, healthcare navigation, and housing navigation. TCC welcomes all who seek its services, whether or not they identify as LGBTQ.

The Rowan Centerprovides free, 24-hour, confidential support to individuals who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has. A 24/7 hotline directs survivors to a hospital for an exam, provides goal-oriented counseling, and assistance in filing police reports or with court proceedings. The center also provides age and developmentally appropriate awareness and prevention education for K-12 students, colleges, corporations, law enforcement, community organizations, and more. All services are free to individuals of all genders, including those who identify as cisgender, transgender, or non-binary, ages 14 and up, and are available in English and Spanish. Counseling is available in Haitian-Creole.

General mental health resources in Connecticut

Optimus Health Care provides a full range of mental health care, including mental health assessments and interventions for individuals and families.

Connecticut Renaissance Inc. Behavioral Health Clinic provides trauma therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, treatment for dual diagnosis disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder for children, adolescents, young adults, and adults. Other services include suicide prevention services, case management, and psychosocial rehabilitation.

Mental health apps

If time or other obstacles prevent you from accessing in-person treatment, then you might try downloading a mental health app on your smartphone. There are many such apps that address a wide range of conditions, and are reasonably-priced, and sometimes free. Keep in mind that little data exists on their effectiveness, however, and they should not replace formal treatment. Yet, the privacy that they offer could help people, especially those who feel too ashamed to reveal their mental health issues in person, to take the first critical step of beginning treatment.